Getty
Miami DE Akheem Mesidor.
T
he NFL offseason is in full swing. Now that the Super Bowl is in the rearview mirror, all 32 NFL teams are hard at work on building a roster capable of competing for a Super Bowl title in 2026. Trades and free agent signings will be the talk of the town, but there is no bigger event than the annual NFL Draft. For each team, the draft means everything– with a good chance that an incoming rookie will prove to be a real difference maker in a franchise’s quest for a Lombardi.
For the San Francisco 49ers, the 2025 season did not go as planned– mainly because of injuries to several key stars. Despite finishing 12-5 and returning to the playoffs after a one year absence, the 49ers were never a real threat, seeing their season end in the NFC Divisional playoffs at the hands of the Seattle Seahawks. This offseason will be very vital for the 49ers as they look to return to Super Bowl contention. In order to do that, the team has a lot of holes to fill– one of those holes being at edge rusher, where aside from Nick Bosa, the team has a lot more questions than answers. And at the draft combine, the 49ers made it clear that adding another pass rusher is a top priority– even meeting with Miami star, Akheem Mesidor.
49ers Meet with Mesidor
The 49ers pick at No. 27 and while they could go multiple different ways with that pick, including offensive line or wide receiver, adding depth on the defensive line is very important. After Bosa went down with an injury, and especially after rookie edge rusher Mykel Williams went down with an injury, the 49ers were the worst team in the league at getting to the quarterback, finishing dead last in sacks. And Mesidor, a projected late first or early second round pick, could fit the bill in what the 49ers want in a prospect.
“On the field, they are going to get a relentless player,” Mesidor said about what type of player he will be. “Somebody who has a deep bag in rushing the passer, also on first and second down who can set the edge. I think I’ve proven it all season long, and it doesn’t stop there. I will continue to grow and continue to get better, work on my craft and I want to hit the ground running.”
A native of Ontario, Canada, Mesidor moved to the United States as a senior in high school and after an outstanding high school career, he committed to West Virginia, spending the first three seasons of his career there. He then transferred to Miami, where he spent the last four seasons of his college career.
Mesidor’s College Career
At West Virginia, Mesidor quickly burst onto the scene, recording 70 total tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks. After transferring to Miami, Mesidor evolved into a staple for the Hurricanes’ defense, recording seven sacks in his first season before a foot injury in 2023 forced him to miss nine games. But after coming back, he quickly picked up right where he left off, recording 5.5 sacks in 2024 and 12.5 sacks in ’25– helping the Hurricanes make an appearance in the national title game this year.
Dylan Grausz A lifelong sports fan, Dylan channels his passion for sports into being a journalist, where his primary goal is to provide readers with content that they love to read. A native of the San Francisco Bay Area, Dylan’s love for the Warriors, 49ers and Giants runs deep, having the ultimate dream of being a beat reporter for one of those teams. More about Dylan Grausz
More Heavy on 49ers
Loading more stories